Men and women are equally protected against sexual discrimination in the workplace under the Civil Rights Act of 1964, although it typically has been considered a key protection for women. But now an increasing number of men are filing sexual harassment and gender bias claims, according to the trade journal Business Insurance.
Attorneys, including Illinois employment lawyers, attribute the rise in claims to men's overall greater awareness of the fact that they are covered by US law just as much as women. Attorneys also say the crippled economy may also be a factor, as some terminated employees may feel more compelled than ever to file a claim.
Men represented 19.7 percent of all sex-based charges, 16 percent of sexual harassment claims, filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission through fiscal year 2009. The ratio of sexual harassment claims is double the 9 percent reported in 1990.
Boston attorney Martha J. Zackin said she "definitely" has seen a surge in sex discrimination claims filed by men:
"We've just had more clients calling me, where ... a woman got a promotion or a job they wanted ahead of them, or they were laid off and a woman wasn't. Of course, they were better qualified, they say, and therefore must have been discriminated against."
She is of the opinion that the tight job market is driving the increase but also said that there is less of a stigma against men filing such claims. While some of these claims might not be valid, others may not have been filed 10 or more years ago when men were less comfortable bringing such charges, she said.
Others, like San Francisco attorney Laura J. Maechtlen, said some men allege that they were not given an equitable amount of parental leave, as traditional notions of care-giving responsibilities give way to today's dual-income realities.
You may want to contact a Chicago employment lawyer if you believe your gender may have played a role in an employer's decision.
Related Resources:
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Sexual Harassment: What is it? (FindLaw)
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Find an Illinois Employment Lawyer (FindLaw)
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